Crisis Management Quotables…on the Value of Friends

Magic shares some hard-earned wisdom

Pro athletes and crises seem irresistibly linked, as the collision of money, fame, and frequently-turbulent personal lives results in their dirty laundry being splashed across the public consciousness on an almost-daily basis.

Today’s crisis management quotable comes from one of the greatest basketball players of all time, and the individual at the center of what was arguably the first major reputation crisis in the modern era of sports, Magic Johnson.

When you face a crisis, you know who your true friends are. — Earvin “Magic” Johnson

Magic’s crisis was keeping his reputation intact, and struggling with reactions from the league, fellow players, and fans, after he revealed that he had tested positive for HIV. However, his words apply to any individual or organization that runs into serious trouble.

When the heat is on, those you have forged quality relationships with will stand by your side. Customers, vendors, shareholders, employees, even your local community, all of these groups can be incredibly helpful advocates when it comes time to defend your reputation, or help you up after a fall, IF they have a reason to want you to stick around. Of course, even industry leaders like Apple are discovering that you won’t have these friends to lean on without putting in the effort BEFORE a crisis strikes.

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